Adam Hayes wins back-to-back & Bek Martin wins Maiden TBA Australian Masters title
By Matt Stevens
After an intense weekend of competition and a thrilling finish at the AGL National High-Performance Centre, Bek Martin and Adam Hayes were crowned champions of the 2024 TBA Australian Masters.
The 2024 TBA Australian Master’s was the final nationally ranked event for the Open and Women’s divisions, while also running for the 61st time in its storied history.
The 2024 TBA Australian Master’s may have had a smaller field to previous year’s but that didn’t stop A-Grade talent and dramatic action unfolding. PBA Superstar Jason Belmonte was a participant in this year’s event, looking to claim his second title after winning in 2012.
Bowlers would qualify with their highest two three game squads on Friday and early Saturday before the second stage finals commenced on late Saturday with Rounds 1 and 2.
On Sunday, the top 8 returned to navigate the elimination bracket where participants bowled head-to-head in a best of three matches, where tie-breaking rules helped determine this year’s champion in the women’s division.
A big congratulations to everyone who participated and thank you for making the 61st edition of the TBA Australian Masters one to remember!
Tenpin Bowling Australia wishes to congratulate both of this year’s champions. We also wish to thank Morty Douglas and his Suncity team for their fantastic hosting duties, and all bowlers who made the effort to attend this year’s event.
Bek Martin Clinches the 2024 TBA Australian Masters Women’s Title in a Thrilling Final
Victorian and Team Australia bowler Bek Martin delivered a stellar performance to capture the 2024 TBA Australian Masters Women’s title, overcoming Western Australian Siarn Ottaviano in a dramatic three-game final. Martin’s victory, secured by total pinfall (tiebreak rule), capped off an impressive weekend that saw her rise to the top of a highly competitive field.
The grand final between Ottaviano and Martin was an intense back-and-forth contest, with both bowlers displaying resilience and skill. Martin started strong in Game 1, winning 192-161 and immediately putting the pressure on Ottaviano. Game 2 was a tightly contested affair, with both bowlers tying at 195 and sharing the points. Heading into Game 3, Ottaviano needed to win by a significant margin to surpass Martin’s total pinfall with Bek leading 387-356, a 31-pin advantage.
Ottaviano found her stride in the final game, delivering strikes in the 6th and 10th frames to post a score of 201. However, Martin’s strong finish, despite scoring 179, gave her the overall pinfall advantage needed to claim victory. Martin’s cumulative total of 566 pins edged out Ottaviano’s 557, crowning her the 2024 champion by a mere 9 pins via the tiebreaker rule.
The Road to the Final
Victoria’s Sarah Phillips entered stage two as the top qualifier after posting a six-game total of 1,270.
The Women’s Division second stage at this year’s Masters was slightly restructured due to fewer entrants, with all bowlers advancing to Round 1 of Stage 2. The top 8 after the first round of six games would go directly to the elimination finals third round on Sunday, eliminating the need for Round 2.
Queenslander and National Training Squad (NTS) member Alicia Melton dominated Round 1, securing the top seed with a six-game score of 1,243, averaging 207.2. Fresh from her Team Australia campaign at the Asian Championships, Melton was the bowler to beat heading into the finals. Victorian Sarah Phillips finished 42 pins behind as the second seed, and providing a glimpse of what was to come, Ottaviano and Martin tied for 3rd with 1,176, with Ottaviano receiving the higher seed based on her final game score advantage over Bek (222-220).
Sunday’s Elimination Brackets
Sunday’s elimination rounds featured tight competition, with all quarterfinal matches decided in two games. Top seed Alicia Melton faced fellow Queenslander Samantha Brown, securing her spot in the semis with a 204-158, 181-172 win. Siarn Ottaviano swept fellow NTS member Hannah Clark (173-139, 224-182) in two games, while Sarah Phillips knocked out Tasmanian Jackie Riley (192-174, 200-180). Bek Martin battled past Yvette Green in two tight high-scoring games (212-193, 210-200).
The Semifinals and Final Showdown
In the semifinals, Ottaviano and Martin knocked out the top seeds in style.
Ottaviano defeated second-seed Phillips in two games (209-199, 223-193) to secure her place in the final, while Martin delivered a dominant performance against top seed Melton, sweeping her 206-183, 269-185.
The final match between Martin and Ottaviano was closely contested, with Martin winning Game 1 comfortably and forcing Ottaviano to respond. Game 2 was a back-and-forth battle, ending in a tie at 195, setting the stage for a dramatic final game. Ottaviano won Game 3 but fell short in total pinfall, with Martin’s cumulative score of 566 securing her the title by a narrow margin over Ottaviano’s 557.
Bek Martin’s victory at the 2024 TBA Australian Masters adds another prestigious title to her resume, capping off a memorable tournament that saw both her and her partner, Adam Hayes, claim their respective division titles.
The victory for Bek ensures she will not be going anywhere from the top of the rankings leaderboard after entering the tournament as the highest ranked bowler in the countries women’s division with 260 points after consistent performances throughout the year and winning her third consecutive NSW Open.
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FEMALE CHAMPION JOURNEY
BEK MARTIN
ZONE BOWLING FRANKSTON, VIC
Qualifying
| 214 | 196 | 176 |
| 187 | 173 | 181 |
| Total Qualifying | 1,127 |
| Average | 187.8 |
| Position | 6th – 143 pins away from top qualifier Sarah Phillips |
Stage 2 Round 1
| 172 | 171 | 203 |
| 186 | 224 | 220 |
| Total Rd 1 Score | 1,176 |
| Average | 196 |
| Position/Seed | Tied 3rd with Siarn Ottaviano/ Received 4th Seed |
Stage 2 Round 2
Bypassed
Stage 2 Round 3, 4, & 5
| Total Pinfall | 3,766 over 19 games |
| Average | 198.21 |
| High Game | 269 |
HIGH GAMES
269 – Bek Martin (VIC)
Adam Hayes Triumphs Over Jason Belmonte in Thrilling TBA Australian Masters Final
In a high-stakes conclusion to the 2024 TBA Australian Masters, Adam Hayes emerged victorious in a nail-biting final against PBA superstar Jason Belmonte, securing his second consecutive TBA Australian Masters title. The final match saw Hayes win by just two pins in a dramatic second game, defeating Belmonte 214-212 to claim the crown.
After a dominant 255-206 win in Game 1, Hayes looked poised to close out the final. Belmonte, however, started strong in Game 2, opening with three consecutive strikes but spares in the 4th and open frames in the 5th and 6th frames, slowed his momentum. Despite a late surge with strikes in the 7th to 9th frames and a crucial 9-spare and Strike in the 10th, Belmonte finished with a total of 212.
Hayes, meanwhile, opened Game 2 with a strike and spare in the 2nd frame, before leaving an open on the 5th frame. Adam recovered quickly finding his rhythm in the middle frames, stringing together three consecutive strikes from the 6th to 8th. A spare in the 9th, Strike and a clutch 8-spare in the 10th secured his 214 total, clinching the match and the back-to-back title at 51 years old.
Hayes delivers the winning roll to be crowned back-to-back champion!
With this win, Hayes becomes the 8th male bowler in the event’s 61-year history to win multiple TBA Australian Masters titles and the 4th to win back-to-back titles. He joins an elite group, following in the footsteps of Ian Bradford (1993 & 1994), Mac Stewart (2006 & 2007), and Glen Loader (2014 & 2015).
The Road to the Final
The Open Division was stacked with past champions, including Belmonte (2012), Hayes (2023), Cameron Stein (2021), and Tasmanian legend Ashley Riley, a three-time champion (1995, 1998, 2005). A late surprise entry came in the form of Bernie Grueso Jnr, who travelled from Victoria knowing he was still in contention for the Open Rankings, with many other top-ranked bowlers opting not to attend.
The Men’s Division followed the original format, with the top bowlers advancing to Round 1 of Stage 2. Among the top four qualifiers, who earned byes into Round 2, were Grueso Jnr, Belmonte, defending champion Hayes, and local product Daniel McQueen. Grueso Jnr topped the qualifiers with a total of 1,367.
In Round 1, the remaining 16 bowlers fought for 12 spots to join the top 4 in Round 2. Standout performer for the round was Jason Walsh from Ballina, who posted an impressive 1,294, including a 278 game, securing his spot in the next round.
Round 2 saw Belmonte dominate, securing the top seed with a 1,335 total, averaging 222.5. Local proshop owner Brandon Qualischefski finished second, just 52 pins behind his good friend Belmonte, while Hayes comfortably earned the third seed with 1,235. Top qualifier Grueso Jnr struggled to maintain his form and finished 13th with 1,138, dropping out of contention.
Sunday’s Elimination Brackets
The final day welcomed the top 8 bowlers in a straight elimination format, with matches decided in a best-of-three format. Jason Belmonte’s first opponent was fellow past champion Ashley Riley in a match that went the distance. After splitting the first two games (222-197, 196-263), Belmonte stormed back to win the third game, 259-181.
Adam Hayes faced Cameron Stein in a closely contested three-game showdown. After losing Game 2, Hayes responded with a commanding performance in Game 3, winning the match (195-178, 154-168, 221-174). Qualischefski also needed three games to defeat Shannon Poulitsas, recovering from a tough first game to win the match (159-162, 239-191, 248-197). Meanwhile, Jason Walsh swept Paul Oakley in two games (183-161, 221-142).
The Semifinals and Final Showdown
In the semifinals, Belmonte continued his run, defeating Walsh in two straight games (232-193, 202-188) to secure his place in the final. Hayes had a tough opening against Qualischefski but found his groove in Game 2, winning 169-166 and delivering a strong 247-205 victory in Game 2.
The final match between Hayes and Belmonte was a true spectacle. Hayes came out firing in Game 1 with an impressive 255-206 victory, putting immediate pressure on Belmonte. Though the PBA legend responded with three strikes to open Game 2, Hayes held his nerve, clinching a two-pin victory and sealing his second consecutive TBA Australian Masters title with a 214-212 win in Game 2.
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MALE CHAMPION JOURNEY
ADAM HAYES
ZONE BOWLING FRANKSTON,VIC
Qualifying
| 212 | 245 | 213 |
| 279 | 183 | 227 |
| Total Qualifying | 1,359 |
| Average | 226.5 |
| Position | 3rd top qualifier and 8 pins away from top Bernie Grueso Jnr |
Stage 2 Round 1
Received Bye as Top 4 Qualifier – Bypassed
Stage 2 Round 2
| 203 | 182 | 227 |
| 207 | 213 | 203 |
| Total Rd 2 Score | 1,235 |
| Average | 205.8 |
| Position/Seed | 3rd Place and secure the 3rd seed for Round 3 (100 pins away from top seed Jason Belmonte) |
Round 3, 4, & 5
| Total Pinfall | 4,049 over 19 Games |
| Average | 213.11 |
| High Game | 279 |
HIGH GAMES
279 – Adam Hayes (VIC) and Jason Belmonte (NSW)
